Changes in shifting cultivation systems on small Pacific islands

Ole Mertz; Torben Birch-Thomsen; Bo Elberling; Sabrina G Skjødt Apager Ruzanski; Thilde Bech Bruun; Anette Reenberg; Bjarne Fog; Ronja M. R. Egsmose; Henrik Breuning-Madsen

doi:10.1111/j.1475-4959.2011.00447.x

Changes in shifting cultivation systems on small Pacific islands

Ole Mertz, Torben Birch-Thomsen, Bo Elberling, Sabrina G Skjødt Apager Ruzanski, Thilde Bech Bruun, Anette Reenberg, Bjarne Fog, Ronja M. R. Egsmose, Henrik Breuning-Madsen

Geology

12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The limited information on change in shifting cultivation systems of small islands of the Pacific stands in contrast to increasing evidence of this farming system's demise in other parts of the tropics. Here, we assess changes in agricultural activities during the past 40 years of Bellona Island, Solomon Islands, where shifting cultivation is still maintained in the traditional way. Fallow length has increased despite population growth due to redistribution of the cultivated area, migration-induced extensification and changes in crops. Productivity of the farming system remains high although there are indications of soil degradation in the centre of the island. However, there are no signs that the traditional shifting cultivation system in Bellona may become unsustainable in the near future and extreme land use transformations seen in other Pacific islands are not found here

Original language	English
Journal	Geographical Journal
Volume	178
Issue number	2
Pages (from-to)	175-187
Number of pages	13
ISSN	0016-7398
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-4959.2011.00447.x
Publication status	Published - Jun 2012

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title = "Changes in shifting cultivation systems on small Pacific islands",

abstract = "The limited information on change in shifting cultivation systems of small islands of the Pacific stands in contrast to increasing evidence of this farming system's demise in other parts of the tropics. Here, we assess changes in agricultural activities during the past 40 years of Bellona Island, Solomon Islands, where shifting cultivation is still maintained in the traditional way. Fallow length has increased despite population growth due to redistribution of the cultivated area, migration-induced extensification and changes in crops. Productivity of the farming system remains high although there are indications of soil degradation in the centre of the island. However, there are no signs that the traditional shifting cultivation system in Bellona may become unsustainable in the near future and extreme land use transformations seen in other Pacific islands are not found here",

author = "Ole Mertz and Torben Birch-Thomsen and Bo Elberling and Ruzanski, {Sabrina G Skj{\o}dt Apager} and Bruun, {Thilde Bech} and Anette Reenberg and Bjarne Fog and Egsmose, {Ronja M. R.} and Henrik Breuning-Madsen",

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doi = "10.1111/j.1475-4959.2011.00447.x",

language = "English",

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T1 - Changes in shifting cultivation systems on small Pacific islands

AU - Mertz, Ole

AU - Birch-Thomsen, Torben

AU - Elberling, Bo

AU - Ruzanski, Sabrina G Skjødt Apager

AU - Bruun, Thilde Bech

AU - Reenberg, Anette

AU - Fog, Bjarne

AU - Egsmose, Ronja M. R.

AU - Breuning-Madsen, Henrik

PY - 2012/6

Y1 - 2012/6

N2 - The limited information on change in shifting cultivation systems of small islands of the Pacific stands in contrast to increasing evidence of this farming system's demise in other parts of the tropics. Here, we assess changes in agricultural activities during the past 40 years of Bellona Island, Solomon Islands, where shifting cultivation is still maintained in the traditional way. Fallow length has increased despite population growth due to redistribution of the cultivated area, migration-induced extensification and changes in crops. Productivity of the farming system remains high although there are indications of soil degradation in the centre of the island. However, there are no signs that the traditional shifting cultivation system in Bellona may become unsustainable in the near future and extreme land use transformations seen in other Pacific islands are not found here

AB - The limited information on change in shifting cultivation systems of small islands of the Pacific stands in contrast to increasing evidence of this farming system's demise in other parts of the tropics. Here, we assess changes in agricultural activities during the past 40 years of Bellona Island, Solomon Islands, where shifting cultivation is still maintained in the traditional way. Fallow length has increased despite population growth due to redistribution of the cultivated area, migration-induced extensification and changes in crops. Productivity of the farming system remains high although there are indications of soil degradation in the centre of the island. However, there are no signs that the traditional shifting cultivation system in Bellona may become unsustainable in the near future and extreme land use transformations seen in other Pacific islands are not found here

U2 - 10.1111/j.1475-4959.2011.00447.x

DO - 10.1111/j.1475-4959.2011.00447.x

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0016-7398

VL - 178

SP - 175

EP - 187

JO - Geographical Journal

JF - Geographical Journal

IS - 2

ER -

Changes in shifting cultivation systems on small Pacific islands

Abstract

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